Blogs from jbuxtonhttp://bazzaz.net/index.php/connect/blogger/listings/jbuxton
Sun, 02 Aug 2015 20:23:46 +0000Joomla! - Open Source Content Managementen-gbAMA Pro SuperSport Points Leaders Alexander + Farris Fueled For Round Two At Road Americahttp://bazzaz.net/index.php/connect/entry/ama-pro-supersport-points-leaders-alexander-farris-fueled-for-round-two-at-road-america
http://bazzaz.net/index.php/connect/entry/ama-pro-supersport-points-leaders-alexander-farris-fueled-for-round-two-at-road-americaCeltic/Hudson Valley Motorcycles Suzuki is pleased to return to racing after an extended break following great success at Daytona earlier this year. 2013 AMA Pro SuperSport East champion Corey Alexander and teammate Wyatt Farris dominated the season opener at Daytona, with Alexander securing pole position and winning both SuperSport races, and Farris finishing a strong second in both races. Both Alexander and Farris have enjoyed success at the famed Road America circuit, with Alexander hoping to repeat his double wins from 2013 again this weekend.

Corey Alexander will ride his #5 Celtic/HVMC Suzuki GSX-R 600 this weekend after suffering a broken collarbone in training, which was repaired by Dr. Ting only two weeks ago. Corey explained that "it's been a long break between Daytona and Road America. Even though I will be trying to make the best out of the recent injury to my collarbone I still have high hopes and expectations for this weekend. I feel good after working with Dr. Ting in California the last few weeks leading up to Road America. I already know I can count on my Celtic/Hudson Valley Motorcycles Suzuki team to give me a great bike so it's really up to me and my pain levels. I'm anxious to get on the bike and see how it feels to ride. Thanks to everyone who made this quick recovery possible, particularly my Uncle Richie, Doctor Ting as well as his associates, and Elissa for taking very good care of me! Hope to make the best out of this weekend. Thanks to all of the team and my personal sponsors for sticking behind me!" Corey's personal sponsors include: Spidi Leathers, XPD Boots, Arai Helmets, Boxed Water Is Better, Defy All Odds Apparel, Oakley, Crossfit OSA, and Lapizta Watches. Alexander leads the SuperSport standings with 60 points after the two victories at Daytona. Please follow Corey Alexander on twitter and Instagram via @corey5alexander , keep track of him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/corey5alexander , and check out his webpage - www.corey23.com - as well.

Wyatt Farris is eager to return to the saddle of his #19 Celtic/HVMC Suzuki GSX-R 600, and has been training on and off the track to prepare for this second round of the 2014 AMA Pro SuperSport season. Wyatt was enthusiastic when he said "I'm very excited to get back to racing this coming weekend at Road America after such a long break! Between Daytona and now our Celtic/HVMC Suzuki team has been working hard and we hope to have another solid weekend. I was very comfortable on the bike at Daytona, and we made some improvements in a test at New Jersey a few weeks ago that gave me even more confidence. It's really great to be able to see the progress we have made as a team in such a short period of time. A huge thanks to all of our team sponsors along with my personal sponsors that make this happen!" Wyatt's personal sponsors include: Jon Block Group, Cortech, Shoei, Defy All Odds Apparel, Above Category, and CT Racing. Farris sits comfortably in second position in the AMA Pro SuperSport standings with 50 points, 14 points ahead of his nearest challenger. You can keep up with Wyatt Farris via Instagram or Twitter @wyattfarris19 or join him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wyattfarrisracing .

Celtic Racing was established in 2001 by Barry Gilsenan, and over the past 13 seasons has established itself as a premier privateer racing team. Celtic Racing has seen consecutive championship seasons in AMA Pro Racing SuperSport from 2012 to 2013. Development of riding talent began with two-stroke 125cc, and 250cc machines competing in professional and regional championship events. More recent Celtic Racing efforts have focused on AMA Pro Road Racing in the Daytona SportBike and SuperSport classes with Ducati, Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha four stroke motorcycles. Gilsenan's talent for coaching racers of all ages and abilities has brought Celtic Racing worldwide attention and recognition, with many former Celtic Racing riders now competing on World Championship levels. For more information regarding Celtic/HVMC Suzuki please join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/celticracing and follow @celticracing on twitter and Instagram - we appreciate all your support!

HUDSON VALLEY MOTORCYCLES

Hudson Valley Motorcycles has been serving New York's Hudson Valley and Westchester County as well as Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and greater New England with Ducati, Kawasaki, and Suzuki Motorcycle/ATV Sales, Parts, and Service since 1966. Established by Richard Alexander Sr, the dealership is a family run business with employees who have been part of the family for decades in some cases. With deep and long standing customer relationships around the region, Hudson Valley Motorcycles is known for outstanding customer service, in-depth product expertise, and the foremost service department for machines of all brands. Please visit www.hvmotorcycles.com, join them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HVMotorcycles or follow them via @hvmotorcycles .

ORIENT EXPRESS

Established in 1973, Orient Express is celebrating its 41st year as a high performance motorcycle parts distributor and race shop. Orient Express offers engine and motorcycle building services, precision machine work, suspension servicing, and dyno tuning services. Orient Express has an extensive history of racing, including support of both professional and amateur race series and individuals. For more information regarding Orient Express, or to find out what Orient Express can do for your racing success, please call 800.645.6521 or 631.231.9552 (NY/International), visit http://www.orientexpress.com or join them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/OrientExpressRacing .

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (May 29, 2014) - The AMA Pro SuperSport class is the place for up-and-coming riders and fast locals to show what they've got at the premier American road racing events. The large grids reflect racers' eagerness to compete at the top tracks in the country on a big stage. Next up for SuperSport is this weekend's doubleheader at Road America for which 45 riders have pre-entered the doubleheader event.

Road America is a horsepower track, but the braking zones reward aggressive racers. The turns often work as a series of bends, with each influencing the next, so cornering precision is equally important.

Corey Alexander aboard the No. 5 Celtic/HVMC Racing Suzuki GSX-R600 took full advantage of his season-opening opportunities at Daytona, winning both races in fine fashion. The reigning East champion was able to slip to the front and claim runaway victories you don't often see at Daytona.

The New Yorker, who returned to the class in hopes of claiming the overall championship, is leading the point standings after AMA Pro revamped the class and will now crown a sole champion in 2014 rather than two regional title winners.

Alexander has made steady progress during his time in SuperSport, and over the last calendar year, he's has taken full advantage of his competitiveness. Last season's trip to Road America saw him affirm his capabilities. Alexander won both races and jump-started his championship run in Wisconsin. It wasn't easy, though. In Sunday's race, he won by just 0.013 seconds in a three-rider slugfest. He'd like nothing more than a repeat performance to extend his points lead.

One rider looking to defeat Alexander is Hayden Gillim, pilot of the No. 69 TOBC Racing Suzuki GSX-R600. A class stalwart like Alexander, Gillim has a history of battling his rival for AMA Pro SuperSport glory. Switching to the TOBC Racing team for 2014, Gillim earned the podium in his first outing at Daytona.

Gillim, a cousin to the riders of the famous racing family of Haydens, is from the rider hotbed near Owensboro, Ky., which has produced the Hayden brothers, as well as GoPro Daytona SportBike pilot Jake Lewis.

Gillim is a rider capable of running an incredible pace when he gets the machine to his liking, as evidenced by runaway victories at Utah and New Orleans in past seasons. Wisconsin would be a perfect place for him to bag victories and make up some points on Alexander.

Wyatt Farris on the No. 19 Celtic/HVMC Racing Suzuki GSX-R600finished second both times out in Daytona and sits second in points coming to Wisconsin. Over the last half of 2013, Farris became a regular podium contender and the talented Californian has moved himself into contention for race wins. Farris will be looking to take that first AMA Pro victory this weekend in Elkhart Lake.

Another contender is Dustin Dominguez on board the No. 68 HSBK Racing Yamaha YZF-R6. Dominguez, with six AMA Pro SuperSport wins to his name, has returned to the class after a one-year stint in the premier AMA Pro SuperBike class. After being shuffled back in the pack on the last lap of Race 1 in Daytona and finishing sixth, Dominguez stormed back to the podium for Race 2.

Venezuela's Armando Ferrer on the No. 78 DMS Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 has been a fixture in the AMA Pro SuperSport top ten. Ferrer, however, is yet to stand on the podium, and owns a career-best finish of fourth. After placing fifth and fourth at Daytona in March, reaching the top three seems within reach.

Cody Wyman aboard the No. 3 Harv's Harley-Davidson Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 is tied with Ferrer for fifth in points. The youngest of the racing Wyman brothers from New York, Cody was able to run in the pack battling for second each race at Daytona, showing he's progressed in his skills and is ready to challenge at the front.

Jason Aguilar riding the No. 96 Tuned Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 is a 17-year-old Californian who won championships in his home state before moving up to AMA Pro SuperSport this season. Aguilar earned two top tens at Daytona and looks to be an up-and-coming rider quickly advancing his career in the class.

Aguilar leads JC Camacho and his No. 623 Camacho Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 for the eighth spot in pointsby just two heading into Elkhart Lake. Camacho's cushion over 10th-place rider Mario Alvarez on the No. 59 RickDiculous Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 is just three points. Alvarez, out of Tacoma, Wash., sits a point in front of Mexico's Erick Sanchez aboard the No. 64 EYK Racing Team Yamaha YZF-R6.

Kaleb De Keyrel on the No. 51 De Keyrel Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 won't turn 17 until three days after the doubleheader wraps up, but getting back into the top ten would be a nice early present for the youngster out of Minnesota.

Class stalwart Miles Thornton, pilot of the No. 7 D&D Castrol Triumph Daytona 675 had a disappointing outing at Daytona but the Georgian will look to bounce back in Wisconsin.

The SuperSport class is always in a state of flux, with top riders moving up, opening up chances for other racers to take their places. The second round of 2014 will reveal more about this year's crop of racers.

Qualifying for AMA Pro SuperSport at the Subway Superbike Doubleheader will be held Friday and Saturday. Saturday's 10-lap, 40-mile race begins at 1 p.m. (2 p.m. EST) and the green flag for Sunday's contest also drops at 1 p.m. local time (2 p.m. EST).

How to Watch:

FansChoice.tv will be the official home for live streaming coverage of AMA Pro Flat Track and AMA Pro Road Racing events in 2014. The site will also provide coverage of IMSA's development and single-make series, and NASCAR's touring and weekly series.

About AMA Pro Road Racing:

AMA Pro Road Racing is the premier motorcycle road racing series in North America and is universally regarded as one of the most competitive road racing organizations in the world. The series is comprised of four production-based classes: AMA Pro SuperBike, AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro SuperSport and the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series. Learn more about AMA Pro Road Racing at www.amaproracing.com/rr/.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

Starting into the second half of the WERA National Challange Series at Miller Motorsports Park. Fast lap times from the start of the weekend saw great racing and battles for postions right to the checkered flag. It was also a doubleheader weekend for the National points races, with lots of points up for grabs.

The first race on Saturday was the A Superstock race. The green flag dropped and the riders raced down the long front straightaway battling for poitions going into turn 1. As they came around on the first lap the leader had a started a small gap with Sean Dwyer and Luie Zendajas nose to tail trying to get into the draft. They went at it the whole race with Zendajas Just edging out his team mate to take the second and third spots on the podium. The final race of the day was the WERA Superbike 8 lap race which also saw many of the Masters Of the Mountain riders joining the WERA National regulars for a vary stacked field. The race was going as expected with riders settling into positions until lap 4 when the red flag came out. After a few minutes for clean up, it was decided to have a full restart of the 8 laps. Another great battle for postions continued throughout the race, but lap times started to drop with so many laps on the same tires and track temperature's in the 120's. Dwyer took the checkered flag in sixth postion with Zendajas a few spots back in ninth.

Sunday was a new day with much cooler temperatures and track conditions more favorable for faster lap times. The A Superstock race was first up again. As everyone went out for the sighting lap, large drops of rain started to come down. The race started and again saw a great battle with Dwer and Zendajas battling with each other as well as the leader. With the rain continuing to come down and starting to dampen the track everyone was being a little cautious of how hard to push their motorcycles. Coming onto the front stretch on lap three Dwyer had taken the lead, just as they crossed the finish line the race was red flagged for the weather and called complete. The results reverted back a lap which saw Dwyer taking the second place postion with Zendajas in third. The rain continued to fall even harder which brought out a race delay in order to let it go by and resume racing. With this delay the 8 lap races of the day were shortened to 4 laps. Finally at close to 5:30 the WERA Supebike race went underway. The shortened race was even more of a battle with riders being aggressive to gain positions. Dwyer and Zendajas were able to improve from Saturday with fifth and seventh place finished respectively.

The next stop on the schedule is NOLA, September 14 & 15. Dwyer will be looking to hold onto his 3 point lead in A Superstock while Zendajas will work on his success with the fastest lap from last year's NOLA round to increase his current third place points standings.

Luie Zendejas - "I can't thank Micheal Godin enough for bringing such a well set up bike to this round. My KWS Motorsports, Millennium Technologies, Ridersdiscount.com, Knights Armaments Suzuki GSX-R 1000 was on pace this week. Coming all this way and going home with two podiums is a good way to end the weekend. Special thanks to Mike Fitzgerald (Thermosman Suspension) for the magic set up, and Julio Ruiz of Liquid Sky Sports (liquidskysports.com) for keeping us looking fresh with their top end apparel. Next stop NOLA!!"

Sean Dwyer - "Miller is probably my favorite track on the Wera National schedule, so I was looking forward to this race. We started with the settings that Thermosman had made for last year, and the bike was absolutely on rails. I was able to just concentrate on riding and we ended up improving our pace from last year by 1.5 seconds per lap on basically the same package. It was fun battling with Reese Wacker and Luie Z all weekend, as well as some fast locals who were pushing hard. We ran up front consistently and I'm stoked on the races. I can't thank the team and sponsors enough for giving me such a good bike and getting us out here, also big thanks to Mike and Nick for spinning the wrenches. Im ready for Nola, lets go!"

Round 3 of the WERA National series brought us to Road Atlanta for a long weekend of racing. Thursday practice was hindered with continuous rain and only allowed a few laps around the track in the afternoon. Luie Zendajas and Sean Dywer used the Friday WERA Endurance race to get up to speed and be ready 2 days of racing to follow. The beautiful weather stayed with us for Saturday's 6 lap Sportsman races.

First up was the A Superstock race which was the start of many front running battles for the podium spots. James Dellinger finished in fourth place with Luie right on his tail to finish in the fifth spot. KWS Veteran Rider Scott Carpenter came in tenth. Sean pulled out of the race after he heard a noise on his bike, later to find out an exhaust spring broke and allowed one of the headers to come out of place. With the track conditions improving and the heat climbing, the riders headed out for the F1 race. Dwyer put his head down to make up for the A Superstock race was able to move into second place with Luie right on his tail this time at the checkered flag. Scott rounded out the top ten. In the Senior Superbike race Scott finally reached the podium with a third place. The last race of the day was A Superbike which continued to see great racing all the way to the checkered flag. Sean took his first win of the Weekend with James in fifth and Scott coming in ninth. Luie had decided to sit out the last race to conserve himself for the nationals on Sunday.

Sundays WERA National races started with another day of great weather, but it was going to be close at the end of the day with a storm front a few hours away. The racing was even better than the previous day with faster times and more riders battling for podium positions. The first race of the afternoon was the 8 lap Open Superstock. With better grid positions based on points virtually all of the fast guys were on the first few rows which made which saw very close racing for the half of the race until the leaders were able to stretch out a lead. Sean was again on the podium with a second place with Luie just missing out in fourth place. James was able to hang on to an eighth position.

Just as race nine got underway, we got our first bit of rain for the day. There was a small delay in the racing to allow the track to dry out, but all of the races were then shortened to try and get them all in before the real weather arrived. So just as we were getting ready to got out for the now eight lap Open Superbike race, it started raining again. Which in turn created a mad scramble in the pits to set the bikes up for a now rain race. Then, just as earlier in the day, the rain stopped and we then had another mad scramble to go back to our dry setup's. THe race got underway with dark clouds getting closer and the temperature dropping. The threat of an on coming downpour seemed to encourage the riders to push themselves even harder as the racing was even closer till the end than the previous races for the weekend. Sean and Luie crossed the finish line in second and third place respectively with James again landing an eighth place position. The rain finally started coming down just as the riders were coming up for the podium presentation.

Luie Zendejas - "This past weekends Road Atlanta Cycle Jam were a big success for us. My Crew chief Mike Godin did an incredible job as always building me a super fast reliable KWS Motorsports GSX-R 1000. It was working perfect from day one and was able to just concentrate on getting to pace, and showed results in a podium finish in the WERA Superbike race. Miller is the next stop and the whole team goes pretty good there so it should be a good show! A big thanks to Icebox Cryotherapy for getting us treated during the weekend, it really helped with body recovery after a long day at the track. And all my Sponsors Dunlop tires, Ridersdiscount.com, Knight's Armaments, KWS Motorsports, Millennium Technologies, Ballistic Batteries, Storm Endurance, and Arai helmets."

Sean Dwyer - "What a killer weekend. Road Atlanta seems to produce close racing, and I really enjoy the track. Thermosman has my chassis absolutely on rails and that has my confidence going for sure. We battled at the front all weekend and had some great battles with some pretty epic passes, racing with some real fast guys. I'm pumped to be leading the points in WERA Superbike and only one point back in A Superstock at this point because the rest of the tracks are ones we go pretty well at. Big thanks to Godin and KWS for giving us killer horsepower, Eric and Dani, Dunlop Tires for giving us the best tires for all the different conditions, Millennium Technologies, Ballistic Batteries, Motul, Leo Vince, Zero Gravity, Pit-Bull.

]]>jbuxton@bazzaz.net (jbuxton)RacingFri, 14 Jun 2013 22:52:11 +0000Successful Weekend in Sonoma for Dave Raff and Spears Racing!http://bazzaz.net/index.php/connect/entry/successful-weekend-in-sonoma-for-dave-raff-and-spears-racing
http://bazzaz.net/index.php/connect/entry/successful-weekend-in-sonoma-for-dave-raff-and-spears-racingA while back we looked at the calendar and noticed that AHRMA was holding a National event on the Thursday and Friday before the regular AFM Weekend. Growing up in the Sonoma area I had been to AHRMA races in a kid and although the vintage bikes were interesting, what really got my attention was watching the Sound of Thunder race with the big modern twins thundering around the track. Fast forward to 2013 and I have now been racing for 8+ years and I just happened to have a modern v-twin and I’m signed up for the Sound of Thunder! After 2 very quick practice sessions to set the bike up we found ourselves gridding up our 848 Ducati next to 10 or more Ducati 1098 / 1198’s as well as a couple 1200 Buell’s. Those two days were a blur but at the end of the AHRMA event we walked away with 3 Wins and a 2nd! This was a big confidence booster going in to Sunday’s AFM races.

With a very positive 2 days with AHRMA I was able to skip the AFM Saturday practice so I could run home, watch my son play some T-Ball, and then bring the family back to the track Saturday night just in time for the awesome team dinner! Good friends / family and of course some Lagunitas Beer!

Sunday morning couldn’t come fast enough. The AHRMA competitors were fast but the AFM club has some of the fastest riders in the nation. I run Open Twins and 750 Superbike with AFM on my Ducati 848. My first race was Open Twins where again I was outgunned. Only two 848’s on the grid and the rest are the big 1200’s! Off the start I found myself quickly up to 2nd place right on the rear wheel of Eric Gulbransen. Eric and I traded back and forth for first for 8 full laps all while pulling a big gap back to 3rd. On one lap alone we passed each other 5 times. To say it was intense would be an understatement. Eric got me at the line by 0.001 seconds but we quickly found out he was docked a lap for passing under a yellow! Not exactly the way we wanted to take the win but we’ll take it. We not only took the win but we also had the fastest lap of the race!

750 Superbike has many of the top young guns on 600’s and 750’s. We were 3rd in points going into the round and starting on the front row. I knew I had the lap times to contend for the win but we still had to pull 8 solid laps out with no mistakes. This wasn’t to be. After a poor start I made my way up to 4th and was being held up by the 3rd place rider. In an effort to not let the leaders get away I pushed for a pass on the second lap coming down the hill into turn 9. As I went to the riders outside just before the braking zone he swooped out and we made contact. It put me just off the pavement into the dirt where I desperately tried to scrub speed and get back onto the pavement. With a tire wall fast approaching I had no choice but to lay it down and hope for the best. My bike and I hit the tire wall hard but fortunately I popped right up uninjured! It was nothing more than a racing incident and I don’t blame the other rider involved.

4 Wins, a 2nd and an overall awesome weekend! I can’t thank my supporters enough! Gregg Spears put in some extra hours on the dyno getting my Bazzaz system dialed in and working crisply with the beautiful Titanium and Carbon FMF exhaust system! Have you seen these things? They are a work of art! The new version Pirelli Tires were amazing! Barry at KFG Racing got my GP Suspension sorted out in record time, I literally could put the bike anywhere I wanted. It didn’t work too well in the dirt… so I’ll have him work on that for next time!

I couldn’t be happier with where I am at with this new Ducati 848. About a year ago I was helping Moto Forza Ducati in Southern California with their Ducati Demo Day and I fell in love with the 848. Thanks to some help from Moto Forza I was able to go back down a week later and pick one up! A couple races last year to feel it out and now in 2013 we are a definite contender for the championship!

The WERA Nationals this year has seen a quite a bit of participation from some AMA talent coming to compete with us due to the fact that we will be racing some of the

Tracks that the AMA will be visiting so it’s been a challenge but very fun and exciting racing!!

The first round at Roebling Road we had some ups and downs but ended up getting out of the weekend with a good result in WERA Superbike. We led the entire race

Until the last lap when Reese Wacker came by and we were not able to pass for the lead at the line. Second was a good result and we are glad to get the points for the championship.

In A Superbike we also ended up leading the entire race but had 5 guys within a second of each other for most of the race. Our Suzuki GSXR 1000 was running great and the new

Engine program we have with Mark Junge of Vesrah Suzuki did a great job along with our Dunlop tires! Ended up missing out of the win by .003 of a second at the line. It was a very exciting race and our bike ran great!!

Unfortunately we were not perfect on the weekend and had a bit of a mechanical issue in the A superstock race. It was a mistake on our parts but after leading the first 4 laps of the race, we had a malfunction with the lower bodywork panel and had to come in to remove it. We did go out and finish the race but only managed an 8th place. It’s still a long season but learned a very good lesson

That we won’t make again.

All in all the first weekend of the season was a good one. All of the great components that you guys provide performed flawlessly and we have a really great package for the season.

The team wants to thank Motul for their support, GPR Stabilizer, Dunlop tires and Race Tire Service for the best tires on the planet, Mark Junge at Vesrah Suzuki for a great engine, our friends at Bazzaz and Moto Heaven for their support. Again this season we are rocking both Arai Helmets and Ballistik leather and gloves. They keep us safe and provide us with the comfort that we need to perform.

TALLADEGA GP ROUND 2:

Talladega was another very exciting weekend and mother nature chimed in to through us all a curve. Friday practice was dry and perfect conditions so we were on pace to have a great weekend. Ended up doing a consistant run of .57 laps which was within a second of the track record. Lenny Albin with Superbike Chassis/Ohlins was there to assist and he gave me a great bike! We found some things on the rear of the bike that we had been struggling with all season last year that we feel like will really help us throughout the rest of the season…

Saturday was the WERA National Endurance race and I rode with Katra/Apex on their Yamaha R6. We had a great result finishing 2nd in class and I ended up riding 2.5 hours of the 4 hour event.

On Sunday, the weather came. The weather man had been threadening all weekend that it would be a wet day and he got it right. Right from the start, practice started out wet and we all struggled to make a decision to go with slicks or rain tires. Of course at the last second, with slicks mounted….only 10 minutes before our race, the rain came. We quickly mounted up rain tires and made it to the line at the last moment.

From the last round and the mechanical we had, we ended up starting in the back of the pack. At the start I went from 15th to 5th by turn 1. Then the rest of the first lap I worked on the first 4 guys passing 3 of them. Lap to I ended up getting into the lead and started moving ahead….by then the rain was coming down pretty bad and large puddles were starting to form. With the championship in mind, I pushed as hard as I felt safe and ended up getting passed by Dumas, who is a Canadian Superbike racer that came down to race the WERA Nationals with us. I followed him for the rest of the race and brought home a 2nd place.

The last race of the day was another crap shoot on tire choice. It was dry at the time of the race but the sky looked like it would open up any second and drop on us. Our stratigy was to bring both bikes up to the pit out and see what everyone else was going to be on…that way, no matter what the decision we would all be equal. The consensus was pretty much unanimous. Most everyone was on rain tires.

The race started and from the front row, I immediately went to the lead. After 2 laps I had almost a 5 second lead…..then on lap 4, the rain came…and boy did it come!! Unfortunatly running on rain tires for the first 4 laps in the dry pretty much cooked the tires and once it got wet, I had no grip. I quickly went back just trying to save the race and get points since I was in the lead in points at this point.

We ended up finishing 4th in the race.

We are still really happy for the weekend results. Coming out of the weekend in the points lead in WERA Superbike and gaining a lot of ground in Superstock is good for us. Road Atlanta is next and due to the fact that we are very familiar with the track and we have a bike that is now running amazingly…we are pretty excited to move on and win some races!

Thanks again to all of you guys (and gals..) for your support this year.

Tim Hunt

]]>jbuxton@bazzaz.net (jbuxton)RacingTue, 07 May 2013 17:37:12 +00002013 New Zealand Superbike Champion Robbie Bugdenhttp://bazzaz.net/index.php/connect/entry/2013-new-zealand-superbike-champion-robbie-bugden
http://bazzaz.net/index.php/connect/entry/2013-new-zealand-superbike-champion-robbie-bugdenWell, as most of you will now know, Robbie secured his 5th New Zealand Superbike title last weekend, at the 5th and final round of the New Zealand Superbike Championship. This is also Triple R Superbike’s 5th New Zealand Championship win, 4 in Superbike with Robbie and 1 with Dennis Charlotte in Supersport on the GSXR 600, over the past 7 years. Robbie went into the 5th round confident that we could all do our job for him and bring it home. He did not get to ride his number one bike until Saturday morning, but was on the number 2 bike, that was changed over from its wet setting, to a dry setting and straight away on the Friday he was running out great times. The only real issue we had for the weekend, was that we knew we would be tight on the front tyre compound and profile that he liked, as there were not a lot of these tyres brought in. So careful management of them was needed. Robbie secure pole of Saturday, his 4th of the championship.

On the Sunday in the first race, we did get a little jumpy, as at the beginning of the race, one of the riders tried to bet Robbie into the first turn and came across and hit his front brake lever. Luckily for him (and us) the lever was turned upwards and the brake was not locked on, so he was able to get the bike back under control and concentrate getting back into the race. He was soon back in the lead, but with this been the 2nd to last race of the season, all the riders were trying to finish on a good note. So there was some very exciting racing happening behind him. Craig Shiriffs made his way past Robbie into 1st place, so Robbie sat behind him and brought it home, managing to keep out of trouble with the other riders battling for 3rd place. With a 16 point lead going into the final race, Robbie only had to finish 7th or better. He got another good start, but soon everyone else were tripping over themselves trying to get back onto him and thereby giving us a few moments of “heart in the mouth” with their dives down the inside etc. In the end Robbie pulled back, let them go and sat back in 5th place allowing the rest of the riders in front to battle it out between themselves. So, after the 15 laps, Robbie coursed the line for his 5th New Zealand Superbike title. A fantastic achievement, with only one other rider having secured more titles; Andrew Stroud, the both of them dominating the championship over the past 7 years. For Alastair on the 600, he wanted to finish the season with a couple of podiums and on Friday, it looked like that we could make this happen, with his times been in the mid “31’s”, a very good time on a 600.

On Saturday, this all came undone, with an engine issue. Sadly we had a valve retainer go west, causing Al not been able to finish qualifying. Though in the 4 laps he did get to do in the 20 minute session, still had him in 5th at the end of qualifying. There was a little bit of fortune for Alastair, but not for Dave Manuell, who was taken out by another rider and broke his collar bone……allowing us to use Dave’s Suzuki for the racing. Dave’s bike seemed in quite good condition after his crash, so we swapped our suspension etc over onto his bike for the first race, but on the warm up lap, Al came back in complaining about a major chatter problem, especially when ever making a left hand turn. So we went through the bike, checking everything, but, it looked like the bike had a small tweak in its chassis, which we could not change. So, Al went out in the 2nd race and did the best he could. He held 3rd place for most of the race, but could not quite hold off a couple of riders with 2 laps to go and instead of crashing the bike trying to stay in front, he let them past and held on to take 5th. Not the end he wanted for the season, but he did a fantastic job with the tools he had. So for Al, the season ended on an annoying note. But, with the speed he showed that he was capable of and with doing the full season in Australia this year. Then next season is going to be very good for Alastair, and we will be doing everything we can for him to win the 600 title in 2014.

So, to finish off, I again would like to say thank you to all who have supported Triple R this season, and of course over the last 7 odd years. We don’t at this stage know whether we will be able to get Robbie back for the 2014 season, which would be the shame, but we will be hoping that this is possible. With Triple R’s results, it has appeared on many web sites throughout America, Australia and Europe, and of course New Zealand. Plus also in a number of magazines. We have also been on the TV in the motorsport program with TV3, and I am waiting to hear when the rest will be on TV as well.

All the product we have used has worked perfectly and allowed us to remain at the front. I have run Suzuki’s ever since I started racing myself and the team, (which is only around 12 years), but Suzuki has dominated that time with the GSXR and only lost the New Zealand Superbike Title once in the past 12 years. We were also the first to use the new Dunlop tyres from the USA, so it is very satisfying to bring Dunlop NZ another title, and it is nice to see the increased interest by the public in these tyres. The Elf Oil we run in the bikes and also the suspension has worked flawlessly, and whenever I look inside the engines, the bearings, bore, and all other components always look like new. A credit to Suzuki’s engineering and Elf Oil. The Ohlins Suspension again worked great for us. I build and make up my own settings in the shocks and forks, and with the help from KSS, the Ohlins NZ importer, we have been able to give Robbie what he has needed to win again. Combining the Bazzaz product with the Woolich Tuning Software also helped me to tune the fastest bike out there. Also the Bazzaz TC and Woolich helped Robbie look after his rear tyre a lot better, often allowing him to be able to run his consistently fast lap times to the end of the race. Having over 210 HP at the wheel is one thing, controlling it is another and these two products allow me to do that. And, having that much power needs a strong, but light chain and sprockets, and with that, the RK chain/sprockets we run have worked perfectly.

The bikes always looked fantastic…….apart from when both Robbie and Alastair decided to have rests out on the track. But it is a credit to JLD Paint here in Christchurch on how the bikes looked. We received plenty of comments on the paint work of these bikes. Kevin from Race Supplies supplied us with Vortex rear sets and GB Racing engine protection cases. Which was a big reason why the bikes survived rather big crashes with very little damage. A big thank you to Suzuki New Zealand, for giving us the product to race at the front every year. The GSXR is an iconic bike throughout the world, and shows time and time again its ability to win races, also combined with Yoshimura, makes this even better. All the best for the rest of the year and thanks again for your support. It has been very much appreciated.

Red

Manager, Triple R Superbike.

]]>jbuxton@bazzaz.net (jbuxton)RacingThu, 04 Apr 2013 22:36:52 +0000Yamaha Reveals Plans to Use American International Motorcycle Expo to Display its 2014 Line Uphttp://bazzaz.net/index.php/connect/entry/yamaha-reveals-plans-to-use-american-international-motorcycle-expo-to-display-its-2014-line-up-1
http://bazzaz.net/index.php/connect/entry/yamaha-reveals-plans-to-use-american-international-motorcycle-expo-to-display-its-2014-line-up-1

Brand Becomes First Official OEM Partner of Inaugural AIMExpo

IRVINE, Calif. (February 15, 2013) – The American International Motorcycle Expo (AIMExpo), in conjunction with Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, announced today that the iconic brand will use the groundbreaking showcase as a platform to display its 2014 products in the marketplace and interact with dealers and consumers. Yamaha is the first official OEM partner of AIMExpo, a landmark step in the continued growth of the event. Additional OEM participation will be announced in the coming days.

Yamaha’s range of powersports products is one of the most diverse in the industry and comprises machines under both the Yamaha and Star brands, all of which will be featured at AIMExpo. The Yamaha line-up of off-road motorcycles, sport ATVs, and street motorcycles from its sport segment will be joined by UTVs and utility ATVs from the outdoor segment.

The Star brand features one of the most diverse lineups of cruisers that includes many different models with various iterations of each.

In addition to their displays in the Main Hall at the Orange County Convention Center, both brands will be taking advantage of AIMExpo’s remarkable outdoor space to conduct live product demonstrations with demo rides on both the street and dirt.

“On behalf of all of us at Yamaha and Star Motorcycles, we are both proud and excited to announce our official participation at the inaugural AIMExpo in Orlando this fall,” said Kim Knupp, Assistant Division Manager, National Events, Yamaha Motor Corp, USA. “We feel certain that a renewed energy has indeed returned to the motorsports industry and the management team at AIMExpo is poised to capitalize on that fact at a time and venue that’s a perfect match for us at Yamaha and for our dealers.”

Echoing Yamaha’s sentiments, Larry Little, Vice President & General Manager, Motorcycle Group, commented, “Yamaha has captured the vision of AIMExpo as the new grand stage for the powersports business in North America. Like so many of the leading-edge products they’ve brought to enthusiasts over the years, they’re the first to embrace the innovative concept of bringing all corners of motorcycling and powersports in North America to one place at one time – at the right place at the right time!’’

AIMExpo will be held on October 16-20, 2013 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit the AIMExpoUSA.com web site, and keep up to date on the continued progress by visiting AIMExpo’s social media pages. “Like” the American International Motorcycle Expo on Facebook by visiting the AIMExpo page, and “Follow” on Twitter: @AIMExpo.

About American International Motorcycle Expo

The American International Motorcycle Expo’s purpose is to serve as the catalyst to bring together industry, press, dealers and consumers in a single arena that creates a grand stage for motorcycling in the U.S. and North America, and delivers an efficient and energetic market-timed expo platform for B2B and B2C in the motorcycle industry. AIMExpo is the single most important show of its type in the North American market and will have international impact within the motorcycling community.

]]>jbuxton@bazzaz.net (jbuxton)IndustryMon, 25 Feb 2013 18:00:19 +0000Celtic Racing & Orient Express Join For 2013 & Add Caroline Olsen For SuperSporthttp://bazzaz.net/index.php/connect/entry/celtic-racing-orient-express-join-for-2013-add-caroline-olsen-for-supersport
http://bazzaz.net/index.php/connect/entry/celtic-racing-orient-express-join-for-2013-add-caroline-olsen-for-supersportCeltic Racing is pleased to welcome Orient Express as a team sponsor for the 2013 season. The new season also brings a third rider to the team, Caroline Olsen, who will ride the Celtic Orient Express Suzuki GSX-R 600 in the AMA Pro Road Racing SuperSport class. This extends the long standing relationship between Celtic Racing and Orient Express, who will provide K-Tech Suspension 20DDS fork cartridges and 35DDS rear shocks for all Celtic riders. Additionally Orient Express sourced GB Racing secondary engine covers and protection kits will be fitted to all three Suzuki GSX-R 600's.

The 2013 AMA Pro Road Racing season marks the fifth year of collaboration between Orient Express and Celtic Racing - a partnership that helped propel James Rispoli to his 2012 AMA SuperSport championship! Rispoli joins his good friend and teammate Corey Alexander on the National Guard Celtic Racing team for 2013. James will be riding the #43 National Guard Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R 600 in the fiercely competitive Daytona SportBike class. Corey will continue in SuperSport aboard the #5 National Guard Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R 600.

Celtic Orient Express Racing is pleased to announce the addition of Norwegian racer Caroline Olsen to the team. Caroline is the 2011 Norwegian Superstock 600 champion, and enjoyed a very successful 2012 season in Scandinavia. Caroline will race in AMA Pro Road Racing 600 SuperSport class, aboard a Celtic Orient Express Racing Suzuki GSX-R 600. Caroline joined the team at JenningsGP for a three day test, and was impressive in mixed weather conditions.

Caroline Olsen was very enthusiastic and stated "I'm so excited to be a part of Celtic Orient Express Racing this season! The test at Jennings and meeting the team was more then I could hope for. Even though we had some bad luck with the weather, I feel I adapted to the Suzuki GSX-R 600 pretty well. My new equipment has a very high standard, and working with such a professional team with so much experience was a true pleasure. I have high hopes for this season, and I think we can do great things together in the future."

Barry Gilsenan is excited about the three rider line-up for 2013, stating enthusiastically that "It's great to be working with Skip and Orient Express again this season, and we are very excited to have Caroline Olsen join the team as well. Celtic Racing is also proud to be working with the National Guard again for 2013, and we look forward to another successful season of racing!"

Skip Dowling of Orient Express stated "Everyone at Orient Express is looking forward to another great season with Celtic Racing. Winning the 2012 SuperSport Championship with James Rispoli on the Celtic Orient Express machine last season was awesome, and we know we have a potent combination this year with Caroline Olsen in the SuperSport class!"

Celtic Racing was established in 2001 by Barry Gilsenan, and over the past 12 seasons has established itself as a premier privateer racing team. Development of riding talent began with two-stroke 125cc, and 250cc machines competing in professional and regional championship events. More recent Celtic Racing efforts have focused on AMA Pro Road Racing in the Daytona SportBike and SuperSport classes with Ducati, Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha four stroke motorcycles. Gilsenan's talent for coaching racers of all ages and abilities has brought Celtic Racing worldwide attention and recognition, with many former Celtic Racing riders now competing on World Championship levels. Please join Celtic Racing on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CelticRacing.

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

The National Guard is the oldest military branch. Today, Citizen-Soldiers hold civilian jobs or attend college while training part time, staying ready to defend America in the event of an emergency. The National Guard serves both state and federal governments. During local emergencies, Guard units assist residents endangered by storms, floods, fires and other disasters. Guard companies deployed overseas may see combat, but are often found building schools and hospitals, training local peacekeepers or teaching local farmers more efficient techniques and better uses of their land. Please visit http://www.nationalguard.com to find out more.

ORIENT EXPRESS

Established in 1973, Orient Express is a high performance motorcycle parts and accessories warehouse distributor; offering dyno tuning, engine building services and precision machine work. Orient Express has an extensive history of racing, including support of both professional and amateur race series and individuals. For more information regarding Orient Express, or to find out what Orient Express can do for your racing success, please call 800.645.6521 or 631.231.9552 (NY/International), visit http://www.orientexpress.com or join them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/OrientExpressRacing.

Chino Hills, CA, (February, 15, 2013) - As part of it’s commitment to professional racing, Bazzaz has partnered with AMA Pro Racing and agreed to offer over $67,200 in racer contingency awards for the 2013 season.

Sponsored riders with podium finishes in American Superbike, Daytona Sportbike, and SuperSport classes will receive cash awards as follows.

To qualify for the contingency, the sponsored rider must be using the Z-Fi, Z-Fi QS, Z-Fi TC or QS4 USB products, and have Bazzaz decals posted on both sides of the motorcycle (4” min. size). Proper AMA contingency forms must be completed.

Bazzaz is the premium brand of electronic engine management systems and dynamometers for the powersports industry. Bazzaz makes advanced fuel injection tuning, quick shift, and traction control modules designed from the highest level of motorcycle racing available to all. The new Bazzaz Principia is the industry's superior quality dynamometer. With its product born in the professional road racing industry, Bazzaz is serious in its support of competitive racing. Visit bazzaz.net.